Cure my nightmares
by FearyPirate
Summary: Without hesitation I run towards the unmoving body. Once I'm close enough I see that it's a boy around my age. His slender body is covered in blood and bruises. I check his pulse and am relieved to feel a soft, but steady pulse. I carefully wipe away his raven black hair to feel his temperature, only to find out he's burning with fever. Who is this boy? What happened to him?
1. Chapter 1

**Cure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 1:**

Takara's POV

A slight breeze caresses my skin, causing little goosebumps to form on my pale skin.

It's chilly, but that doesn't scare me away. Especially since there are only a few minutes left before the first rays of sun will sparkle over the horizon.

Although I have watched the sunrise many times before, I still can't get enough of the magical atmosphere it creates.

Ever since I was little, I found this the best spot on the island to gaze upon the morning sky. It's a pity that they later chose this location to build an execution platform. Now people avoid this area, afraid of the possibility of ghosts lingering around.

It may sound a bit creepy, but I somehow feel like they are right. I don't feel alone when I stay here. However, it's not a scary feeling. It's more like a comfortable feeling, created by a place that holds my best and worst memories.

I hold my breath when I see the orange-pink glow in the distance.

It's time!

Slowly the round shape of the sun starts to appear, looking like it just rises out of the sea. You can clearly see its reflection in the water, first showing us an oval sun, then bit by bit turning into a round one, to see it again an oval shape and finally splitting into two different orbs: One real bright sun and one reflected sun, changing form with every wave.

I turn around and see how the first rays reach the slowly awakening village. Some people are already leaving to work on the fields, while others are probably still fast asleep. The bakery is already open, greatly contrasting to the closed clothing shop next to it.

It doesn't take long before the whole village is bathing in sunlight, causing me to sigh.

It's already over…

Oh well…

Time to go back home.

* * *

"Good morning, Takara! How was the sunset?" My father greets me when I enter our home.

"Magical!" I smile back.

"That's great! Now, come join us for breakfast." He grins.

"Hello dear, were you having a hard time sleeping again?" My mother asks worriedly the moment I sit down.

I nod absentmindedly. Flashes of my nightmare are returning before my eyes, immediately ruining my good mood.

Seven years ago a pirate stranded at our island. My older brother, who was studying to become a medical assistant, took care of the wounded man. Sadly once the pirate was healed, he killed some fishermen to steal their boat and left the island.

Shortly after this incident, the marine base located on the island issued a new rule, prohibiting the inhabitants to aid any pirate.

Even if my brother helped the pirate before the rule was in place, he was still executed as an example. My parents and I were forced to watch while they bound him on the execution platform and shot him mercilessly.

I was ten, but I can still vividly recall that moment. It often haunts my thoughts and dreams. Every time I relive it in my nightmares, I go to the platform. Somehow it reassures me. It feels like my brother is watching the sunrise with me, like we did when I was little.

I'm suddenly pulled out of my thoughts by a gentle touch. I look up to find my mother checking my temperature.

"Hmmm… You don't seem to have a fever, but you look pale." She states in a worried tone.

"Don't worry so much, sweetheart. She just hasn't got enough sleep. It will be better when she takes a little nap." My father reassures.

I smile warmly at my parents.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me. But don't worry! I'll probably sleep better tonight."

"Well… If you're not planning to take a nap right now, do you want to go out for an errand?"

I nod enthusiastically in reply to my father.

"That's great! Could you get a bag of flour from the windmill?"

"Sure! I'll be back in an hour!"

* * *

Almost three quarters of an hour later I'm dragging the bag of flour. It feels quite heavy, but that doesn't bother me at all. I'm used to doing errands, since my parents are often busy with preparations for their restaurant. Getting flour from the windmill is my favorite task, since I can take a stroll on the beach while doing so.

Today it seems I'm not able to enjoy the walk as much as I normally do, since a ticklish feeling which grows with every step I take.

This feeling is not new for me... As long as I can remember I was able to sense changes or danger. A change just leaves a ticklish feeling in my stomach, while danger sends huge warning shivers through my spine. There were times when I felt both, like when a huge destructive storm was nearing our village. If it wasn't for my warning, the village would not have been prepared.

However, I'm not sure whether I should be happy with this gift. Sure, a lot of lives were spared back then, but most of the villagers started to ignore me afterwards, thinking I was some sort of witch. Ghosts, witchcraft… indeed... the villagers here are really superstitious.

The feeling now reaches a point at which I can't ignore it anymore. It is pointing out that something isn't completely right. The only question is what.

My question is soon solved when I notice someone lying on the sand in the distance. Without hesitation I run towards the unmoving body.

Once I'm close enough I see that it's a boy around my age. His slender body is covered in blood and bruises.

I check his pulse and am relieved to feel a soft, but steady pulse. I carefully wipe away his raven black hair to feel his temperature, only to find out he's burning with fever. My hand is still on his forehead when his eyes open.

He gazes at me for a few seconds until he breaks out in a huge grin, leaving me confused.

How can someone in this state look so optimistic? Must be the fever…

"Do you think you're able walk?" I softly whisper.

"Shishishi… You're strange. I learned walking when I was a kid."

His response causes me to sweat drop. Is he an idiot? Idiot or not… I can't leave him here.

I decide to help him up and drag him to my home.

As soon as he's on his feet, he tumbles over.

I try to stop him from hitting the floor, but it somehow didn't work. His body seems to be stretching with every pull.

He looks at me with a goofy grin.

"I can't walk."

"Thought so." I sigh.

"Apparently you stretch."

"Of course, I'm a rubber man!"

I ignore his comment, blaming it to the fever. I got to think of a solution. Maybe I should give him a piggyback ride.

The boy again slips into an unconscious state, letting me no other option than to lift him on my back.

A minute later I'm back on my way home, dragging a boy and my bag of flour, all the way having a single thought:

Where did I get myself in to?

 **Hi all! I hope you liked the first chapter of my new story. C &C welcome!**

 **a/n: I made some correction to my stories. Mostly correcting typos or changing the structure a bit. Always welcome to let me know if you would happen to find any errors!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Cure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 2:**

Luffy's POV

Something is placed on my forehead. It's cold, but it feels nice.

A droplet is running over my temples, but I can't wipe it off. Why do my arms feel so heavy? What's wrong with me? Am I ill and is Chopper taking care of me?

I try to open my eyes, but somehow they are refusing service. After several failed attempts, I finally manage to open them and I see a blurred image of someone sitting close by.

Who is that? It certainly isn't chopper. Chopper is little and has a blue nose. I blink my eyes, hoping to have a clearer vision. It helps a bit.

Slowly the blurriness decreases and the first thing I notice is the long straight pink hair. It looks pretty.

"Oh! You're awake! How are you feeling?" A soft female voice suddenly whispers.

She leans closer and lets her purple eyes study me.

"You have strange eyes." I reply with a raspy voice.

"That's the second time you call me strange." The girl says with a pout.

"Shishishi… I like strange." I grin.

The girl smiles and brings her hand to my head, removing a cloth which seemed to lay on top of it.

I watch her dip the cloth in a bucket of water.

After she wrings it out, she puts it back on my forehead. The fresh feeling causes my eyes to drop down again.

"You should rest, you have a fever."

I want to reply, but my mind is getting hazy and sleep is taking over.

Takara's POV

The boy is again fast asleep.

I try to contain my laughter when I see a bubble out of his nose, ready to pop. He acts like a little kid.

Who is he? I never saw him before, which makes me think he's not from around here. Maybe he is a cabin boy on a ship that is currently visiting the island. However, that doesn't explain his wounds.

When I cleaned of the dried blood, I found a lot of cuts. Most of them were already closing, but the deep ones started to bleed again. Luckily I learned some first aid from my brother, so I could bandage the poor boy.

I carefully lift his arm and study the bruises. If I remember correctly, my brother used some ointment to cure bruises. Maybe it's best to ask my parents.

When I arrive in the kitchen, I immediately notice my father. He's busy with peeling a big pile of potatoes.

"What a fun job!" I remark sarcastically, while pulling up an eyebrow.

"If you're a real cook, you even put your soul in a job like this." My father replies in a reprimanding tone.

"How's the boy you brought back?"

"He was awake for a while, but fell back asleep due to the fever. Speaking of him, don't we have any ointment for bruises left?"

"Your brother was the only one using that." He replies in a sad tone.

"Yeah, I know. He always rubbed it on my bruises, every time I tumbled."

"In other words… on daily basis." My father adds with a grin.

"Hey! I'm not that clumsy!" I counter slightly annoyed.

"If you say so. Anyway, try looking for it in the boxes in your brother's room."

"I will! Thanks dad!"

Ok… Now back to where I came from.

When I again enter my brother's room, which is now temporarily used for nursing the boy, I first look at him.

Good... He's still asleep.

I direct my attention to the boxes containing the things that belonged to my brother. Seven years since he died and still no one was able to throw his stuff away.

The moment I open the box, I immediately spot a photo of the complete family, all smiling to the camera. Maybe I should keep this photo as a memory. After neatly folding it, I put it in my pocket and return to my mission.

Ointment… Where is it.

Ah! There it is!

I grab the tube and return to the boy, starting to take care of his bruises.

When I'm focused on something, I'm often not aware of my surroundings. This is again proven now, since I didn't notice that my mum has entered the room.

I jolt the moment she speaks up.

"The last time I saw you looking so serious was when you were helping your brother taking care of that pirate."

"Mum! Don't scare me like that!" I scowl at her.

"You should be more aware of your surroundings. What if that boy turns out to be a pirate and a marine was entering the room, instead of me?"

It sounded as a joke, but as soon as I look up I see the worry shimmering in her eyes.

"Don't worry, mum. He looks too innocent to be a pirate!"

"I'm not stopping you in helping that boy, but just be careful. If your brother hadn't intervened, you would have been executed by the marines, together with him."

"You don't have to tell me that… I clearly remember everything that happened back then. I know it was a close call and that my brother protected me by taking all the blame by himself. I already feel guilty for seven years and will probably feel guilty for the rest of my live. Why would I otherwise have all those nightmares?"

It starts as a whisper, but my voice rises with every word.

"It's my fault that my brother died, all because I found that pirate and asked my brother to nurse him. He wasn't going to, but reconsidered it as I begged him nonstop. You accused me when brother just died and I'm sure you sometimes still have the same thoughts. The funny thing is… I can't even blame you for that, because deep down I think alike."

By now tears are flowing on my cheeks.

I look up and see my mother left speechless.

I sigh.

"Sorry… Just leave me alone for a moment."

She gives me a sad look and with a little nod she leaves.

As soon as I hear the door close, I drop my head on the bed.

I grab the sheets and am unable to hold in my sobs. After keeping it in for years, all my emotions spill out. The sting in my heart that pierces every time I hear someone talking about my brother, is now stabbing my heart with all its might.

I hate it when the happy memories with my brother get twisted in a spiral of regret. I often think of the moments he took care of me, since he was the oldest. I remember how his soft warm voice reassured me every time I woke up from a nightmare.

However, every impression of my brother and every memory of him has a lingering aftertaste, pointing out he died protecting me. Why can't I lose this feeling of guilt?

Suddenly I feel a hand softly stroking my head.

I stop sniffling and look up with wide red puffy eyes.

"You were awake?!"

 **Hope you liked the second chapter :) C &C welcome!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Cure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 3:**

Luffy's POV

Two woman are talking.

One of them sounds like the girl that was taking care of me.

Who is the other one?

I want to look, but I also don't want to disturb their conversation.

The girl is whispering now, in a voice drenched with sorrow. Her voice raises the further her speech goes, greatly emphasizing her distress.

"It's my fault that my brother died." Her voice brakes at the statement, making a big knot appear in my stomach.

I understand how she feels. Even now, I still feel guilty that Sabo died. He was my brother, I should have been there to save him.

I hear footsteps moving away, following by the sound of a closing door.

When I feel a pressure on the bed, I open my eyes, only to find the girl sobbing on the sheets, her face hidden by her tangled pink hair.

Before I even realized it myself, I'm gently petting her head.

She freezes for a moment before looking up. Her shocked puffy eyes immediately meeting my gaze.

"You were awake?!"

Takara's POV

The moment I look up, I notice two dark eyes studying me.

The boy that seemed goofy the first time he was awake, now holds a serious gaze.

"I know what it feels like to lose a brother. What was his name?" he softly whispers.

Before replying I rub my eyes, hoping the red puffiness would vanish.

"Tama." I answer in a little voice.

"When I was little I lost my brother Sabo. It still hurts sometimes, but I know he wouldn't like me to feel that way. That's why I live my life for the both of us. I'm sure Tama would have wanted you to do the same."

I don't know how to reply to that statement. I open my mouth, but no sound leaves my lips. Now I could hit myself on the head in embarrassment.

His attention shifts to my hands clenching the sheets and soon he seemed lost in thoughts.

I give up the intention of replying, too mesmerized by the pondering look in his eyes.

Suddenly he looks up again and sends me a huge grin, abruptly breaking me out of my trance. How can someone switch so quickly from serious to laid-back?

"I'm Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy." He presents himself in an enthusiastic tone.

I sweat drop.

Apparently he also changes topics in a flash.

"I'm Takara. Nice to meet you." I reply, suddenly feeling a bit shy by his straightforward personality.

Luffy didn't even seem to notice when he continues.

"So what happened? Where am I?"

"I found you wounded on the beach, so I dragged you to my house and took care of you."

"Thanks!" Again followed by a big smile.

Suddenly Luffy starts sniffing.

"Food" He yells, startling me when his arm stretches towards the door.

At the same time the door opens and dad appears, carrying a plate of food.

In a blink of an eye the rubber boy grabs the plate and swallows all the food, leaving my father with a shocked expression.

"Thanks for the food!" Luffy exclaims while giving a deep bow, the gesture making Dad laugh.

"For being such a glutton, you are quite polite."

"My brother Sabo taught me to always thank for the food before running away. The food was really good! Is there more?" Luffy asks with twinkling eyes.

"You know… That plate was actually for both of you." Dad replies amused.

My eye suddenly twitches and I roughly pull Luffy's cheeks.

"You stole my food!" I exclaim accusingly.

"But I'm still hungry!" He pouts, causing my father to grin.

"Then I'll make you two some more food!."

"Some more? I didn't get any just now." I reply sadly.

"You should have been prepared. You've grown weak over the years. You were perfectly able to protect your food against your brother when you were little. But I'm off to prepare the food."

I look sadly at his back before returning my attention to our guest. I notice Luffy giving me a calculating gaze, but it was gone as soon as it came. I shake my head. I must be imagining things.

"My dad's a cook" I mention proudly.

"Shishishi I thought so. The food is almost as good as Sanji's."

"I can't imagine someone preparing better food than my father. Who is this Sanji?"

"He's the cook on our ship."

"I already figured you weren't from around here. Are there a lot of people on the ship?"

"Well… Sanji is the one taking care of the cooking. He's quite strong, but always acts weird around women."

"What do you mean with weird?"

"Well… all of his attention is on the women. He will give them food first, which is not fair! It often looks like he's floating around them. I even noticed hearts is his eyes a few times."

"I can't figure out whether he's a gentleman or a pervert." I comment with a sweat drop.

"He must be a pervert, because Zoro often calls him that!."

"Who's Zoro?"

"He's the first mate. He wants to become the world's greatest swordsman. He fights with three swords!"

"Three swords? How does he do that?" I ask confused.

"I'll ask him to show you when they find me. I hope Zoro is not leading the way. Otherwise it will take them weeks to find me."

"So I assume he's not the navigator?"

"That's Nami!" he grins enthusiastically.

"A girl on a ship?"

I must say I'm quite surprised hearing that. In our village women are not allowed on the ships. It would bring bad luck upon all the sailors.

"Jup! We have two women on the ship. Robin is the other one. She's the archaeologist."

"Who else is there?"

"Oh! We still have Usopp the liar, Chopper the doctor, Franky the shipwright and Brook the Musician."

That's quite a strange group of people I thought, unsure how to comment on it.

In the corner of my eyes I notice my father again entering the room with the new food. The moment I see Luffy reaching out, I grab his arm and pull back.

"Don't even think about it." I glare, causing little panic drops to appear on Luffy's head.

"I'm sorry! I won't do it anymore! Don't hit me!" He yells.

"Why would I hit you?" I ask, suddenly feeling guilty.

"Nami always hits me when she's angry."

"Don't worry about Takara. Her bark is worse that her bite." My father reassures.

"Dad! You're being mean again!" I whine.

He grins and gently ruffles my hair before leaving us with our food.

This time it seems that Luffy is leaving alone my portion of the food, for which I'm glad.

The satisfied feeling soon turns into an annoyed one, when I notice him staring with puppy eyes at my remaining food. Finally I sigh and give up.

"You can have..."

A hand stretches and instantly Luffy is munching on the leftovers.

"At least let me finish my sentence!" I comment, a nerve twitching on my forehead.

It seems Luffy doesn't even understand why I am annoyed, so I drop it and decide to learn more about the life on the sea.

"Do you never get into fights with pirates?" I ask in wonder.

"Of course we do. But we always win. Nami would kill us if they would steal our gold."

"She sounds scary. Why isn't the captain stopping her for acting like that?"

He looks at me strangely.

"What's wrong?" Did I imagine it or did his smile just turn into a smirk?

It seems he decided that I was left with enough suspension and he speaks up.

"I am the captain."

 **It's finally posted! I'm sorry it took so long to update. C &C Welcome.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Cure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 4:**

Luffy's POV

"I am the captain."

My smirk waivers when I think back of the pain she showed a while ago. I have always been proud to be a pirate captain, since it's my dream to become King of the Pirates. Never did I doubt my choice to set sail, until just now.

Seeing Takara's sadness made something churn inside. The more tears that appeared, the angrier I felt. Strangely enough I didn't know who I should be angry at. Should I direct my anger at the marines who executed her brother, or at the pirate who caused it? Only, aren't I just the same as that pirate? I'm not sure anymore how I should think or react, but of one thing I'm certain... I don't want her to suffer like this again.

"Are you a marine captain?" I hear her ask, confusion evident in her voice.

"Shishishishi... Nop! I'm a normal captain. Every crew needs a captain, you know." I smile when I see the tension leave her shoulders.

"You don't seem like a captain to me." She remarks.

"That's a mean thing to say." I pout, although her reaction doesn't surprise me.

I heard many people say the same thing… but I never cared before. Why does it bother me right now?

Takara's POV

Luffy is still pouting. Somehow it seems cute. I couldn't suppress the giggle leaving my lips. He looks up and soon his pout turns into his typical grin.

"So… What are we doing today?" He asks, leaving me dumbfounded.

"You're wounded! You need to rest!"

"But just laying here is boring." He whines.

"That's too bad. I can't keep you busy, because I need to do some errands."

"Great! The errands will go faster if we do it together and then you can show me around!"

I sigh. I can't win against his childish logic.

"Fine." I mutter, immediately turning around and leaving the room.

Seriously… He's like a kid. After some paces through the hallway, his voice pops up behind me.

"Where are we going?"

I spin around.

"Geesh! Don't follow me like that! I was going to get you before leaving. I first need to get a list of ingredients from Dad."

"Ok. Let's go then!"

He grabs my waist and before I could complain he shoots us through the hallway. Luckily the kitchen door is open, so we could tumble in the kitchen without any fractures.

I grab his red shirt, lifting our faces to the same height.

"You're an idiot!" I exclaim, completely irritated.

I recognize my father's bouldering laughter, making my attention snap away from the rubber captain.

Dad is standing a few meters from us, clutching his sides in laughter. It amazed me that he could keep standing like that. A memory of Dad and Tama rolling together over the floor like hyenas springs in my mind, leaving a nostalgic feeling. It somehow calms me down. Luffy seems to notice this and escapes my grasp.

"Dad! We need the list of ingredients." He says, gently shifting his hat straight on his head.

"It's my Dad, you know." I intervene.

He pouts and looks at my father with puppy eyes.

"Sure! You can call me Dad."

"Yay!" Luffy jumps up and hugs my father in gratitude.

I sigh, deciding to just leave it like that.

I turn around and stiffen when I see my mother staring at the scene. She notices my gaze and comes closer in a hesitant pace.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it." She smiles softly, guilt clearly showing on her face.

I nod in agreement.

"Takara…" My mother seems to be looking for words. "I'm sorry that I used to blame you… I never wanted it, but I couldn't stop my thoughts."

"Mom… it's ok."

"It's not! You shouldn't bare the guilt when you didn't do anything wrong. I'm sorry that I made you feel that way. You need to know that I'm really happy we still have you…".

I want to reply, but no words are popping up. So I do the only thing that feels natural… I give my mum a hug, clearly conveying all the emotions rushing through me.

When we release our embrace, mum gently caresses my head, just like she did when I was little.

I look around to notice Dad and Luffy watching our interaction with a smile on their face. I couldn't keep in the blush. How could I forget that they were there?

Luffy jumps to me a grabs my hand.

"Let's go! I have the list!"

A soft tug on my hand is all I need to follow him to leave for our errands.

* * *

"The vegetables are looking great, Erza!" I compliment the elderly woman.

"Thank you, my dear. Who's this? It's the first time you bring over a friend."

"That's Luffy! Don't mind him, he can act a bit strange sometimes."

I look over and see him studying the little shop. Suddenly he seems to have lost interest and he starts picking his nose. I sigh again. Just as he finally seemed a bit normal, he does that…

"hmh… I see what you mean." The shopkeeper replies. "It doesn't matter. It's good to see you having a friend. Normally I see the kids of your age avoiding you. Stupid islanders, raising their kids full of superstition…" she mutters.

"What do you mean with superstition?" Luffy suddenly interrupts.

"Well, Takara was always able to sense danger, so most people believe she is a witch." Erza explains.

"A witch? Cool!" the boy exclaims with excitement glittering in his eyes.

"I'm not a witch!" I snap at him.

"Oh that's too bad." He pouts.

"He seems like a good friend, you should keep it like that." The elderly lady comments with a smile.

I nod in reply. In the corner of my eyes, I notice that the rubber boy has again lost interest and is now poking a dream catcher.

"Well… it would be nice if he could keep his attention on conversations." I sigh.

"Luffy! Do you want to see the island?"

In a blink of an eye he is standing next to me.

"Yosh! Let's go!" he grins.

We leave the shop and walk uphill.

"I'm going to show you the island from the place that has the best view." I explain enthusiastically.

"You should show that smile more often." Luffy replies while smiling himself. This time it's no grin or smirk, but a real genuine smile.

We walk further in a comfortable silence. It seems like only a few minutes have past, but it should be more, since we have already reached our destination.

"So cool! Is that a execution platform? Why is it in a little village like this?" Luffy questions.

I gaze at the wooden construction before replying.

"The marines build it. It's here to punish civilians that have broken the law by aiding pirates.

An unreadable expression flickers through his face. I wonder what he is thinking at the moment.

"Let me show you different places from here!" I break the silence.

"Look! There is the windmill. I found you unconscious on the beach close to it. Over there you can see our house, it's the one with the green window frames… I painted them myself! Oh and there is the butcher and next to it the bakery." I point out the different places.

"The view is great, you can even see the old lady's house from here." The rubber boy adds.

"You'll like the view even better if you turn around."

We turn around and watch the sea. The waves are gentle at this time of the day. Near the harbor there are some small fisher boats returning with their haul of today. I look up and notice Luffy staring longingly in the distance.

"You miss you nakama, don't you?"

He looks up and sends me a big grin.

"No worries, they will find me."

He turns around and studies the execution platform.

"Ne… Is this the place where your brother died?" he gazes at me with a serious expression.

I nod, suddenly overwhelmed by sadness.

"Where is his grave?" I look up into his dark eyes.

"It's hidden…"

"Why?" He sounds confused.

"The marines wanted to leave his body as a warning to the villagers. When I really couldn't stand it anymore, I sneaked away at night to bury him. Come."

I pull his arm and direct him to the bushes nearby. After sitting down on my knees, I move away the leaves and show him the little memorial stone that I made myself.

"Now we're the only two that know he's here… I never told me parents, they just heard that his body disappeared."

Tears are gathering under my eyes, I bow my head, trying to hide them from Luffy.

Suddenly I feel some pressure on my head. When I look up, I see he has put his straw hat on top of me.

"Don't be sad. You did a great job." He softly whispers.

After that we turn our attention back to the little stone, leaving us both thinking in silence, unaware of the darkness creeping closer by the slowly sinking sun.


	5. Chapter 5

**Cure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 5:**

Luffy's POV

"Sanji! I want some meat!" A nerve twitches on his forehead.

"Dinner will be ready in half an hour. Be patient."

I pout and look around, my eyes immediately scouting Zoro laying against the wall, fast asleep. I stretch my arms and shoot towards him. His eyes jump open in alarm the moment I fall on him. As soon as he realizes it's me, the alertness turns into annoyance.

"What do you need, Luffy?" He growls in a bad temper due to his sudden awakening.

"Ne, Zoro, I'm bored." I whine. "

Bored? But look at all that delicious food!"

I swiftly turn around, noticing Sanji carrying a huge plate with a complete roasted pig. I jump up and before Sanji could stop me, I grab the pig and swallow it whole.

"Luffy! You idiot! That was for all of us!" Nami's loud shriek rings through my ears.

I feel her hitting my head with all her might, the pain causing me to shut my eyes.

The moment I open them again, I was greeted by a stone floor. Confused I look up and see a bed. Hmmm… It was only a dream, I realize somehow disappointed.

Two weeks have passed and my nakama are still not here. I really miss them, but I'm also getting used to the life here… a bit too used to it. I'm afraid that if they don't hurry and find me soon, I won't be able to leave anymore.

Asking Takara to join the crew is no option. She will definitely refuse. Well… Most of my nakama did in the beginning, but in the end succumbed to my stubbornness. Takara won't do that. Her dream is right here, on this island.

Footsteps break me out of my pondering. Someone is awake… but it is night. I carefully stand up and go to the door. After gently opening it, I notice Takara's silhouette in the end of the hallway. Not knowing what I should do, I finally decide to just follow her.

She soon leaves the house and like a real ninja I keep on following here, swiftly hiding myself behind every tree and every rock. After a long walk we reach her destination. I immediately spot the execution platform, making me quite confused.

Why would she come here at this hour? Everyone else seems to be sleeping. She sits down and I decide to follow her example. I hide myself between some bushes, on a location where I could perfectly keep an eye on her.

Soon I realize why she is here, when I see the sun slowly rising from the ocean. The view is magnificent. However, something else grabs my attention. It's her expression. She's looking out over the sea, with eyes blinking in admiration. Her smile is one of happiness, but still there seems to be something sad underlining it. I would call her beautiful, but that didn't seem enough to describe her.

Suddenly she stands up. When I look around, I notice the sun is already shining brightly.

She looks in my direction and her posture stiffens, her eyes swiftly meeting mine.

Takara's POV

How long has he been there? And why? How did he find me?

A million different thoughts seems to cross my mind, before I am able to react.

"Luffy?" Of everything I could have asked, I just say his name… Great…

"I'm not here." Sound the reply.

I sweat drop. It's definitely Luffy…

"I know it's you, dummy. Come out of the bushes."

He jumps out of the bushes, a guilty smile marking his face.

"Why are you here?"

He looks a bit uncomfortable.

"Well, I heard you pass my room and I was curious."

"You have been here since I arrived?"

He nods.

"Why didn't you show yourself? We could have watched the sunrise together."

Luffy looks me into the eyes, suddenly seeming shy.

"Sorry." He softly mutters.

He looks away, gazes at the sea. Suddenly his face turns into a big relieved grin.

"They're here!" He exclaims. "My nakama… They found me!"

He points towards a ship with a lion head in front.

I study the ship and I am immediately dumbfounded. It's a pirate flag. I turn my attention back to Luffy. I try to hide the feelings of hurt and betrayal, but his gaze shows me it isn't working.

He looks down, effectively hiding his eyes and his emotions by the edge of his hat.

"Sorry… I'm a pirate."

"You lied! Why?" I couldn't keep my anger in tome.

"Do you hate me now?"

I was stunned for a while. Finally I manage to utter a reply.

"No… I don't hate you."

He looks up, surprise flickering through his dark eyes.

"But your brother…" he starts.

"You don't seem like a bloodthirsty pirate to me. Even if you were, you have not taken part in the circumstances leading to my brother's death. But still… I can't allow you to stay at our home anymore. I'm sorry." The regret clearly showing in my face.

"It's ok. I will leave the island anyway, now my nakama are here…" Luffy reassures, but somehow this doesn't make me feel any better.

I would have liked him to stay a bit longer. However, that could endanger my parents.

"Ano…" The rubber boy snaps me from my thoughts.

"I'm sorry… I was just thinking. Were you saying something?"

"Would you like to meet my friends?"

I look up and meet his hopeful eyes. How could I say no to that?

* * *

"Hi guys! You're finally here!" Luffy exclaims the moment we reach the beach.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he is knocked on the head by an angry red head.

"You moron! Making us worried for nothing." She growls.

Nami really is as aggressive as Luffy described her.

"Who is this beautiful flower?"

I blink and gaze at the blonde man that spoke up. Is that?

"Sanji… at your service." He introduces himself, while taking my hand and pressing his lips to it.

Jup… Guessed it right…

"Stupid ero-cook." A green haired man interrupted.

This angered Sanji, causing him to attack and be blocked by swords. Three swords… So that must be Zoro. That leaves the one with the big nose to be Usopp, since Franky, Brook and Chopper are easily recognizable thanks to their appearance and the descriptions that Luffy gave me.

"I assume you took care of our captain, miss?" A raven haired woman asked, while giving me a friendly, but cautious smile.

"You must be Nico Robin? Oh! Sorry for my rudeness… I'm Takara."

Suddenly Nami pops up before me, with Belli signs in her eyes.

"Takara? As in treasure?" she questions enthusiastically.

I nod, not knowing how to reply.

"With a name like that, we will definitely become good friends!"She exclaims.

"I don't think we'll have a lot of time to become friends. It takes only 10 minutes for the log pose to set and I don't think it's wise to stay too long, since the marines probably already spotted the ship." I response dryly.

Soon there is only silence. I look around and see everyone gazing at me with perplexed expressions, minus Luffy who is still on the ground with a huge bump on his head.

"You mean you're not joining the crew?" Zoro is the first to speak up.

"Takara has her own dream, which she can only fulfill on this island." The rubber boy explains.

The rest remains silent, switching their attention from me to their captain and back. Is it really that strange that I'm not joining them? I always thought Luffy was exaggerating, but his nakama are as weird as he described them.

They decide to listen to my warning and to leave the island immediately.

That's how ten minutes later I am watching how the Thousand Sunny crosses the waves, slowly removing itself further from the island. Luffy is enthusiastically waving goodbye. It's already too far to see, but I can image a big grin plastered on his face.

My smile suddenly falls when I get the feeling that something is terrible amiss. Unconsciously my attention is directed to the execution platform and my eyes widen in shock.

 **Hooray! A new chapter! C &C welcome.**

 **CaptainCommanderLucy: Many thanks for devotedly reading my story. It really makes me happy :) Hope you also liked this chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Cure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 6:**

Luffy's POV

The island seems to get smaller and smaller, making me feel sad.

Don't get me wrong… I'm happy to leave on an adventure again, but I'm going to miss this cozy village. Or rather the people in it. Takara, Mum, Dad … even the little old woman of the grocery shop…What's her name? hmm… oh! Right! Erza!

Still, I don't want to show my nakama how much this goodbye affects me. Which leaves me only one option: just smile and wave.

My smile soon disappeared when I see Takara run away. She didn't even stay until we were out of view.

I follow her slender figure running uphill. Suddenly something else catches my attention. The execution platform… What's going on there? Why are there a lot of people gathering around it?

"Ne, Usopp… Could I borrow your binoculars?"

Takara's POV

Completely out of breath, I reach my destination. I gaze at the group of villagers blocking my view. What's going on here? The last time this many people stood here, was when my brother received his punishment.

I spot Erza and decide to ask for an explanation. "Erza, what's happening?"

Abruptly she turns around, looking at me with wide eyes. "Child… what are you doing here? You should leave immediately!" She tries to push me away, the movement clearing my view just enough to let my blood run cold.

Mum? Dad?

Without thinking I push myself through the wall of bystanders. There, on the execution platform, my mum and dad are bound to a wooden stand, a row of marines standing just in front of them with riffles pointing in their direction. Mum is watching the ground, looking like she already gave up. However, Dad's eyes are fixed on the marines, trying to look brave.

Why? Why are they here? Did the marines find out that I took care of Luffy? Why my parents? They didn't do anything wrong! I did…

My legs are shaking, causing me to drop on my knees. This seems to catch my parents' attention. They notice me and panic appears in their eyes. Suddenly shots ring through my ears, replacing their expression by a dull and lifeless gaze.

"Nooooooooooo" a loud sob escapes my lips, pulling the marines' attention to me.

"Found you." I don't know who said that and somehow I don't even seem to care.

Someone roughly pulls me up and before my thoughts registered it, I am stuck on the platform.

Through a blurry vision I notice some faces of the bystanders, people who I knew for whole my life. Some of them where watching me with pity, while others showed anger and betrayal. Was this what my brother saw before he died? And my parents…

I inhale and turn my attention to the marine captain that apparently started saying something. "…like your parents, you are sentenced to death for aiding a pirate. Do you have a last wish?"

A last wish? Never did I need to think of this before… What is it someone needs to reply to that? A memory crosses my mind. My parents smiling at me. I wish my parents were still alive. However, that wish is impossible. They died just now. I sigh and close my eyes, before shaking my head.

Clicks resonated. I want to look up one last time, but fear forces my eyelids to keep shut. My trembling body seems to freeze when I hear several shots. I wait for the pain to arrive, but nothing came.

Curious I open my eyes and notice someone standing before me. His back has several spikes. A second later the spikes are gone. Just then I notice the straw hat. Luffy… He repelled the bullets.

Tears slide down my cheeks. I'm not sure whether I'm crying of happiness or sadness. I notice Luffy gazing at my parents, anger shimmering through his eyes when he sees the bodies.

"What are you waiting for? Shoot them!" The marine captain yells.

The moment the marines try to obey their order, arms sprout out of their body, effectively directing the riffles to the sky. Before they could even struggle, they are kicked into oblivion by the blond cook. A new group of marines comes to their comrades' aid by slashing their unsheathed swords.

Before Sanji could even turn around, the swords are already blocked by Zoro, a fierce glint in his eyes. "Weaklings… Attacking someone in the back..." The swordsman growls, before spinning around and cutting all the surrounding enemies in one go.

The actions of the straw hats causes panic with the bystanders, making them run away from the fighting scene. Distracted by the chaos the remaining marines notice too late something passing them in an enormous speed. Soon they realize it is Luffy shooting himself towards the marine captain, steam vaporizing through his skin due to his second gear.

"Retreat! Retreat!" the targeted enemy screams to his subordinates.

However, Luffy is not going to let him escape, since he hurt people dear to the rubber boy. "Gomu Gomu no Jet Bazooka!" Luffy puts all his power into this attack, knocking the marine captain unconscious in one bone crushing hit.

Luffy's POV

The surviving marines hurriedly drag their wounded comrades and captain away. I don't pay any attention to them. They're not a threat anymore.

My gaze goes to the woman still bound on the execution platform. She is sobbing hysterically, her spirit seems broken. I want to comfort her, but I don't know how. The place where her brother was killed, the place where she loves to watch the sunrise, now also carries the memories of her parents' death. How does anyone comfort someone carrying such grief?

"Franky, Usopp, Nami… Prepare the ship for a quick escape. Chopper, Robin… Go to the house over there with the green window frames and fetch her belongings. Zoro, Sanji, Brook… take care that no-one is able to reach the platform." I give orders to my nakama, while keeping my gaze fixed on Takara.

After that I carefully walk towards her. I study the ropes around her and grit my teeth when I notice some of them have caused cuts into her flesh. I immediately loosen the ropes, making her fall down. Luckily I manage to catch her in time. I push her face against my chest, allowing her to let her emotions go loose.

Takara's POV

I watch how Luffy pours the last earth on my parents' graves. He dug two holes, one on each side of my brother's grave. I watched with an empty gaze when Luffy carefully put their bodies into the soil and started to cover them with earth.

Now they are completely covered, it suddenly clicks in my mind. They're gone… They're really gone.

"Takara…" I look up and see Luffy watching me with an uncomfortable expression. "I… I just made these stones. I'm sorry it's not as nice as your brothers'."

I look at his hands, which are showing me two grave stones. One had 'Mum' graved into it, while the other marked 'Dad'. It is something simple, but still I like it and appreciate Luffy's efforts. I pick up the stones and put them on the graves. Now they're properly buried.

I watch the fresh graves wondering what happens now. As soon as the thought crosses my mind, I feel my energy leaving my body.

Soon everything turns black.

 **Hi guys! I'm sorry for the sad chapter. Hope you liked it though...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Cure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 7:**

Luffy's POV

"Ne, Chopper… When is she going to wake up?" I consult the little doctor, while watching Takara's unconscious form in the sick bed.

"I'm sorry, Luffy, I don't know. I presume she is in this state by posttraumatic stress. There's no telling when she will wake up."

"But she's been laying there for three days already!" I look up and notice Chopper gazing at me, pity shimmering through his eyes.

"Everything will be ok in the end. Still, you should have some rest yourself." I nod, but I take no action to leave.

The door opens with a soft click. My hand shoot instinctively to my target… The food on the plate that Sanji is carrying. He sighs. "You know, if you're that hungry, you should join us in the galley."

I decide to just ignore his comment and continue on munching on a big piece of meat. Suddenly something pulls my attention away from the food. Takara… Did her eyelids move? I look at her intently, hoping it's not again a false alarm. Just when I thought I imagined it, her eyes open and a warm feeling spreads through me. For the first time in days I see her purple eyes again.

"Where am I?" She asks, her voice sounding raspy.

"You're on the Thousand Sunny, our ship." I reply happily. My smile falters a bit when I notice her sad look. Is she thinking of her parents?

"Shall I prepare something to eat for you, my lovely flower?" Sanji suggest.

"No, thank you." Her response stuns us for a while.

"You should eat, you were unconscious for three days." Chopper informs her.

I hear some noise in the back and spin around. All my nakama are now standing in the sickbay. They must have heard Takara. It's nice to see they care about her, even if they don't know her that well. "Ne, Takara, do you want to play hide and seek?" I propose after turning my focus back to her.

In the little moment I was looking away, she managed to sit up straight. She looks me straight in the eyes. My heart seems to drop by her icy gaze. "Do you think I want to play games with you? If I never found you, I would still be living happily in my village. My parents would still be alive. Now you saved my life after I saw my parents die before my eyes. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I wanted to die too?"

Upon hearing her rage, I couldn't do anything else than looking down, letting the straw hat cover my eyes. Just when I want to speak up again, a climatact hit the wall just next to Takara's head.

"How dare you accuse Luffy for everything that happened and how dare you tell him that you rather died!" Nami raged with fire in her eyes. "Everyone on this ship knows how it feels to lose someone..."

"Nami…" It's only a whisper, surely not enough to stop the female navigator from speaking her mind.

"But what is most important is that we are alive and we are able to follow our dreams thanks to Luffy. You…"

"Nami!" Luffy's second much louder attempt effectively shutting down the enraged woman. "It's ok… Thank you for defending me… but she's right… It's my fault they died." I glance at the red headed woman, to catch a glimpse of compassion in her eyes. Not wanting to show my real emotions, I decide it's better to leave.

"Luffy…" Takara's soft broken voice makes me halt just before leaving the sick bay. I wait for more, but soon I realize she is not going to speak up. "Takara… Gomen ne… If you want, we can drop you off at the next island… It's your choice…" With that been said, I leave her and my nakama behind.

Takara's POV

I look at his retreating back, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by sadness. The moment the words left my mouth, I already regretted it. When I tried to apologize, I was interrupted by Nami. My second attempt also failed, since no words were forming in my mind.

Nami sends me a filthy look, before walking away in a loud angry pace. Without paying any more attention to me, the blond cook starts floating after her, looking completely love-struck.

Usopp and Franky mutter something about an invention before they also left me behind. Brook is the next one, excusing himself by telling us he is going to play a song for Luffy.

I really did it this time… I'm just here and people already dislike me. A scraping sound pulls my attention away from my hands that are currently clenching my sheets. Robin is now sitting on a chair next to my bed, watching me with a studying gaze. I look around and notice Zoro and Chopper are also still in the room. Chopper I understand… he's the doctor… but Zoro?

"Thank you for taking care of Captain-san." Robin voices her gratitude.

"I… I couldn't leave him like that… He had a fever and was wounded… I know what I said just now… But if I could redo it… I would still help him…" I notice drops falling on my sheet, leaving me confused. I touch my cheek, wiping away the wet substance. Tears… I didn't even realize I was crying...

"What's wrong? Are you hurt? We need a doctor!" the little reindeer is running around in panic, until the archeologist interfered.

"That's you, Doctor-san."

"Oh right!" The little doctor wants to examine me, but I stop him.

"I'm ok… It's just… I hurt Luffy… I didn't meant to do that…"

"Maybe you should have thought of that before speaking up." Zoro mentions, while leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"I wasn't thinking…" I feel myself tremble by the guilt that was overtaking me.

"You did a great job in nursing Luffy! The wounds were almost all gone when I had a look." I smile at the little doctor, thankful for the change in subject.

"My brother taught me some first aid…"

"So you have a brother." Robin gazes at me with interest.

"I had… He died ten years ago… the same way my parents did…"

"Wel… that explains your reaction a while ago." Zoro adds, his calculating gaze softening.

"Still… It was wrong of me to blame Luffy…" Tears are welling up again.

Noticing my conflicting emotions, Chopper pipes up. "Everyone out! She needs to rest!" He instructed, successfully causing all three of them leave the room after giving me a last pitying glance.

I'm not sure whether rest is an option right now… several thoughts and emotions are intertwined in my head. I try to sort them out, burying my anger, hiding my sadness... However, one emotion I am not able to suppress… fear… I'm terrified of the future. I had my future planned ever since I was little. Now, that future is crushed…

What should I do? Should I stay on this ship? Or should I leave on the next island as Luffy proposed? I just don't know what to pick… and the doubt is scaring me even more…

 **Hi everyone! Again a new chapter. C &C are welcome. **

**RedHairedOctavia: Many thanks for the tip. As you can see, I followed it ^^**


	8. Chapter 8

**Cure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 8:**

Luffy's POV

The stars are beautiful tonight, but still I couldn't enjoy the view. A few hours ago we reached a new island. Normally I would be jumping to have a new adventure. Now a new island meant that Takara could be leaving, all depending on her decision. I hear a door creak open and soft footsteps going over the wooden floor of the ship's deck. Takara…

Silently I watch her looking around. When she sees no-one around, she swiftly runs away, climbing down the ship and escaping on the island. Suddenly I feel overwhelmed by sadness. She's gone. She didn't even say goodbye. On the other side… why would she… If she didn't already hate me when she found out that I was a pirate, she must hate for what happened to her parents.

"Are you ok with letting her go like that?" Zoro… I didn't even notice he was outside…

"It's ok." I want to give him a reassuring grin, but a little sad smile is the only movement my lips allowed.

He sighs. "Sure you're not going after her?" he ask with worry underling his question.

"When I got to know her I wanted to see her smile. I soon discovered 'home' was what made her happy. She dreamt of continuing her parent's restaurant, to build further on their dream. It was my fault her home was taken away, that her dreams were shattered. I really want to help her, but no matter what I do… I can't cure her nightmares."

The swordsman gently pets my shoulder, before heading to the crow's nest. Now that I am completely alone, the sadness and regret crashes down on me. Before I realized it, tears start sliding down my cheeks. I am shedding tears for losing Takara, sobbing for the death of her parents, weeping because I was not able to save them. It feels like a shameful thing to do, but still I couldn't hold it in...

Takara's POV

The moment I cross the border marking the little village, I collapse on the ground, completely out of breath. Running non-stop for more than half an hour took quite some toll on my body. Pain is stabbing my side from moving too quickly. My vision is blurry, the dizziness pointing out that I should have stayed a bit longer in the sick bay.

However, I had enough of staying in that little room. When I woke up a week ago, Chopper had ordered me to stay in bed and rest. I tried to follow his instructions… but I simply couldn't… Every time I fell asleep, I woke up from a nightmare. Flashes of my parents and my brother on the execution platform were haunting me.

Staying awake wasn't better either… I was alone most of the time. I had several checkups from Chopper and Sanji also brought me delicious food, but it felt like they only did that because I was ill. The thought made me feel even lonelier.

Luckily Robin seemed to accept me. She visited me daily and we had some very nice conversations. I told her about my parents, my brother and the restaurant. She explained me a lot about archeology, which I knew nothing about. She even brought me some books to read.

Strangely enough I also saw Zoro quite often, but I'm not sure whether he was coming to visit me, or to have a break from the chaos that marked a day on the Thousand Sunny. Most of the times he just sat in a corner, sleeping or cleaning his swords…

The one I wanted to see the most, never visited me… Luffy… I have hurt him too much… He didn't wait for my apologies the last time I saw him… He simply told me I could leave if I wanted. He said it was my choice… but to me it sounded like he wanted me gone… Why else would he have proposed me to stay on this island?

Being alone most of the week made me realize I couldn't stay on the ship. It would stay an outsider. Still, a part of me warns me running away is a bad idea. That part hopes I could become friends with all of the straw hats. Sadly enough, my fear won and I ran away without saying goodbye… all the time having a lingering feeling of guilt and doubt.

"Oh dear… Are you ok?" The sudden voice startles me. What is someone doing outside at night? I look up and a sudden ray of light temporarily blinds me. The sun? Was I really that much in thoughts to have missed the sunrise?

Soon my eyes get used to the light and I make out a female shape hovering over me, offering me a hand. Gratefully I take the hand and let the woman help me up.

Once I am again standing stable on my two feet, I glance at the woman that aided me. She had beautiful long black hair and a warm smile is decorating her face. The moment I notice her eyes, I am completely stunned. They are purple, just like mine. Confused I take in the rest of her appearance. Somehow she looks familiar...

"Thank you for helping me up. I'm sorry if I sound rude, but… Do I know you?"

Upon hearing my question the woman studies me intently. Suddenly her eyes widen in realization. "Takara?"

I nod in confirmation. "Who are you?"

"It's me… Linda!"

That name… It can't be… Another glance on her confirms my thoughts. "Auntie? What are you doing here? You've been missing for seven years!"

"Dear child… Let me guide me to my house. I would prefer to not explain this on the street."

Following the woman, I watch her figure in the light of the upcoming sun. It's really her… But how? She went missing seven years ago... Why is she running around freely? Why didn't she contact us to tell us she was doing ok?

After a real short walk we reach a cozy looking house and she opens the door for me. I soon find out the inside is even nicer that the outside. My aunt was always great at decorating places. She used to decorate our restaurant for the holiday season.

Linda pushes me towards a chair. "Sit down! I'll make you some tea. Don't mind the mess… I was preparing breakfast when I noticed you through the window." She is as bossy as I remembered her… I don't dare to refuse, so I sit down.

The moment she turns to the stove a nearby door opens and a man comes in. "Linda. Why were you outside this early?" He notices me and immediately stiffens.

My reaction is similar as I recognize the man. "You!"

 **Tada! A new chapter is up. She ran away from the Thousand Sunny** **will she come back or not? Stay tuned for the next chapter! C &C welcome**


	9. Chapter 9

**Cure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 9:**

Takara's POV

"You!"

With wide eyes I gaze at the man that just entered the room, exactly mirroring his expression.

"What are you doing here?" Due to the lack of response, I turn my attention to Linda.

"Auntie … What is he doing in your house?"

"Well… he lives here…" She replies in a nervous tone.

"But he's a criminal!"

"I know he used to be a pirate, but that doesn't make him a bad person." She says in a strict voice.

"A pirate isn't always bad, but a murderer is!"

"I didn't kill anyone." The man suddenly decides to speak up.

"You're lying! After we took care of you seven years ago, you killed a fisherman to steal his boat."

"Dear… That's not how things really happened." My aunt interrupts before the discussion becomes too heated.

"How do you know?" I try to keep my temper, but it is really hard. All those years I blamed myself for what happened with my brother, only to come eye in eye with the real cause.

"Because I was there when it happened… Please let me explain."

I slump down in my chair, finally realizing I had been standing since the pirate entered the room. I wait in silence for her to start her story, my patience again getting tested when she decides to first pour in an extra cup of tea for the man.

"Seven years ago I was walking around the harbor, you know how I liked those kind of walks…"

I nod, secretly wanting to speed up the story.

"Suddenly I heard someone yell, so I hurried towards the noise. Once I arrived there, I saw Dave trying to steal a boat, but the fisherman apparently caught him in the act."

I glance at the man who seems to pay close attention to Linda. Dave… So that's his name… He never told us…

"The fisherman was throwing a tantrum and tried to push him out of the boat."

I snort. "I wonder why…" The interruption earning me a glare from my aunt.

"So as I was saying, the man tried to win his boat back. It looked like he was succeeding in his attempt, until suddenly I heard a shot. Immediately after that the poor man collapsed. Dave tried to help the man, but it was too late… The wound was fatal."

"If Dave didn't shoot… Who did?"

"It was a marine." The man replies in a bitter voice.

"A marine?" I turn to my aunt for confirmation. Her sad look shows me it's the truth.

"The marine noticed me and started panicking, uttering that it wasn't him that did it. When he saw I didn't belief him, he raised his gun at me. I thought I was going to die at that time... Luckily Dave managed to get there in time to knock out the marine."

"Why didn't you stay to tell the truth?"

The question produces a humorless laugh from Dave. "Who would've believed a pirate and a normal civilian against the word of a marine?"

"Still, they would have examined it! Maybe that way Tama would still be alive!"

At my statement Linda gasps. "Tama is dead? How?"

"They made a new law prohibiting the aid to pirates. Tama was executed as an example."

"I'm sorry to hear that… He was a good man. Thanks to his medical assistance, I'm still alive." Regret shines through his eyes, convincing me his words are sincere.

"It must have been hard for you and your parents. I wish I was there." My aunt pulls me in a tight hug.

"We managed, but now it doesn't even matter anymore." I mutter in her embrace, clutching the fabric of her clothes tightly in my hands.

"What do you mean?"

"They're also dead… it happened merely a week ago."

"Sis died?" I look up, since I could almost hear her tears. Drops are threatening to fall down, while her gaze begs me to explain further.

"Three weeks ago I found a boy wounded on the beach, so I brought him home. We took care of him for two weeks. At the same time I found out he was a pirate, the marines must have also figured it out. The moment I was waving goodbye to the boy, the marines brought my parents to the execution platform… Where they were shot right before my eyes." It feels like a lump is stuck in my throat, causing me to barely whisper the last words.

"I'm sorry you had to undergo all of that by yourself." My aunt sobs, while gently caressing my back.

After a few minutes of respectful silence, Dave wants to still his curiosity. "How did you survive?"

"Luffy came back for me…"

"Luffy? As in 'Monkey D. Luffy, captain of the Straw Hat Pirates?"

Dave's sudden nervous posture picks up my interest. "What's wrong?"

"Well… Yesterday I overheard some marines… They were talking about setting up a trap for pirates that were nearing the island. I'm quite sure they said it were the Straw Hat Pirates…"

At his words I push myself from my aunt's embrace. "Where? How?"

"I'm not sure what kind of trap, but they said they had to hide on the hill in front of this town."

"When?"

"This afternoon… depending on when the pirates would leave their ship…"

That's not good… knowing Luffy he wouldn't want to wait to start a new adventure by exploring the island. They probably already left… I have to find a way to stop them.

"Auntie… Many thanks for your hospitality. I have to go now."

"You're not going to try to save them, are you?" she asks worriedly.

"I am. I think you can understand… He's all I have left." I reply, smiling at the linked hands of Dave and my aunt.

"Dave… thank you for the warning. I'm also happy to finally know what really happened seven years ago. Please take care of auntie."

"We're going to help you!" My aunt exclaims before I have the chance to leave.

"No! You're the only family that's left, please don't endanger yourself for my cause. I don't want to see another person dying for my own mistakes."

Once I'm sure they won't follow me, I wave my final goodbyes and leave for my rescue mission.

Luffy… Please be save…

 **Hi all! Please note that I will probably not be able to send a new update the coming month. My apologies for this! After that, expect me to be back in action!**

 **C &C welcome! **


	10. Chapter 10

**Cure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 10:**

Takara's POV

I'm going to be too late...

The calm front I showed my aunt has completely collapsed. Panic causes me to run even faster, ignoring my sore muscles. The stabbing pain in my side has returned in tenfold, trying to warn me I'm overdoing it.

Again my vision gets blurry. Is it a sign that I am going to faint? The wet sensation on my cheeks soon points out the real reason. Why am I crying? A sudden realization turns my stomach in a knot… It's because I regret leaving Luffy.

Will he forgive me for hurting him? Can I still join the crew? I swallow a sob, knowing his reaction doesn't even matter.

To be on time… That's what counts. I only need to warn him. I don't care what happens to me afterwards. I just need him to be safe…

The hill gets steeper, putting more strain on my legs. Good… I'm nearing my destination. Soon several marines come into my view. Swiftly I pass them, creating surprise and chaos. Someone yells, while another tries to grab me. I ignore their attempts to stop me and continue my path.

Behind me I hear the heavy paces of a pursuer. Luckily he doesn't seem to be closing in, making it possible for me to finally reach the top. An amazing panorama meets my eyes, but my gaze is fixed on only one thing, or rather one person. Luffy…

Stopping in my tracks, I take a last deep breath…

Luffy's POV

We have been walking in silence since we left the ship. It's not like us… I understand why I'm acting like this, but does my temper really affect my nakama this much?

Some movement in the distance catches my attention, immediately lifting my sour mood. Takara... She came back… My grin falters the moment I take in her appearance. Out of breath, puffy eyes… the sight of it makes worry rise within me.

"Luffy! Run! It's a trap!" The words barely left her mouth, when a marine pops up and roughly pulls her back. Everyone's attention is on the scene. Immediately I reach out to halt Usopp's attempt at fleeing.

"Oi! Let me go! I'm suffering from the 'I-can't-run-into-a-trap-disease'!"

"We're not leaving Takara!" I throw him a warning glare.

"I will save you, my lovely flower!"

I narrow my eyes at Sanji. "I'm going to save her!"

"Luffy. You always take care of the strongest opponent. That's your job!" Nami reasons.

Suddenly I'm not sure what to do anymore. Fight or save her myself…

"Chopper! You take care of Takara! I will fight!" I couldn't keep in a wicked grin at the thought of the upcoming fight. I stretch my arms and take hold of some sturdy looking branches. Just before I shoot away I hear a soft chuckle.

"Let's follow captain-san's lead."

Knowing I have back up, I direct my focus on Takara and the man holding her. She is jerking and twisting her wrist in an attempt to escape his grip. Her effort seems in vain, since even from this distance her exhaustion is clearly visible.

The man soon has enough of her struggling and retorts to violence by knocking the poor girl mercilessly on the head. Takara's yelp causes my fury to bursts out. How dare he hurt her! Gritting my teeth I make a promise to myself… The man is going to pay… Now!

In his distraction the marine didn't notice how fast I was closing in. Takara looks more aware of this as she quickly throws her body backwards, allowing me enough space to land a hit. "Gum-gum Pistol!" My punch hits the marine straight on, causing him to release his grip.

In reply the man turns his full attention to me and challenges me with a smirk. "Is that all you got?"

"Gum-gum Bazooka!" With a growl I strike the opponent with my both hands, causing him to roughly crash against a nearby tree. Not expecting the force of my attack, unbelief crosses his face. He straitens himself immediately, but is still left unprepared for a new attack.

"Gum-gum Gatling gun!" A barrage of strong punches land rapidly, all of them successfully striking the opponent.

* * *

A hand on my shoulder brings my illusion of multiple arms to an abrupt stop.

"I think he had enough." The words are followed by a puff of smoke.

Carefully I observe the marine and realize that Sanji was right. The man is numbly leaning against what was left of the tree. Okay… Maybe I did go a bit overboard…

Looking around I notice all the marines were defeated. The cook and I are the only ones standing.

"Where's the rest?"

"They left a few minutes ago while you were using the poor man as a punching bag."

Ow… I didn't realize I was fighting the man this long... I felt as if it were only seconds.

"Yosh! Let's follow them to the Sunny!" Upon my words Sanji starts walking in the right direction, obviously absorbed by whatever is crossing his mind.

The silence is only brief as the blonde cook soon figures out what to say. "Luffy… You never tried to stop me in saving a woman. Why did you step in now?"

"I don't know."

At my short response he takes an annoyed swig of his cigarette. "Never mind... Can we hurry? I want to make a cake for my three lovely flowers." The words just left his lips and hearts already replace his eyes.

"She's not one of your 'lovely flowers'!" I snap.

My reaction causes him to drop his cigarette in shock. After a short pensive silence he seems to have gathered his thoughts. "Luffy… Would you prefer it if I don't treat Takara as other women?"

"I would…"

He sighs. "Ok… You have my word."

His promise unlocked the brightest grin I had in days.

 **Hi everyone! I'm back! Sorry for the wait! Somehow I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter. Nevertheless I hope you still liked it. C &C Welcome. **


	11. Chapter 11

**C** **ure my nightmares**

Disclaimer: Please note that I do not own One Piece.

 **Chapter 11:**

Takara's POV

Luffy... Is he ok?

The marine looked though, but I'm sure Luffy can beat him. I feel bad for leaving him though… I couldn't stop Chopper from dragging me away, while Luffy was still fighting.

Looking up, I notice that we are almost at the ship.

I'm glad that Chopper used walk point. I don't think I would have been able to reach our destination with what's left of my energy. I have to admit… riding on a reindeer is a quite comfortable way of traveling.

When I was at home, I would have been surprised when I saw an animal change its form. Now I was hardly affected. Meeting Luffy really changed my way of viewing things. It opened my eyes, making me realize that the world is much bigger than just my home town.

"Takara, we're here… Are you able to go further by yourself? I don't want to lose my balance and fall in the water."

I give an approving nod. The moment I step of his back, he changes into his normal cute shape.

"Thank you for the ride! You're great." I thank the little doctor.

"Complimenting me doesn't make me happy at all, you bastard!" he blushes and makes a little wiggling dance.

He really looks happy… I sweatdrup. Maybe I'm still not completely used to the strange situations...

* * *

The moment I want to board the Thousand Sunny, my feet refuse further service. Conflicting thoughts and emotions cause me to freeze in doubt and guilt.

What am I even doing here? I can't just join them as if nothing happened... Not after accusing Luffy for what happened to my parents.

I have hurt him and instead of apologizing, I ran away without a word. How could he ever forgive me for that?

My breathing becomes erratic, slowly turning into a panic attack.

Robin seems to be the first one noticing my hesitation and fear.

"Takara-chan… Are you ok?"

"I…" I look at her wondering how to word my thoughts. It feels like nothing I will say can change a thing, the others will never accept me as a nakama.

"If you don't want to join us, at least stay to say goodbye to Luffy. I'm not allowing you to run away like the previous time." Zoro interrupts.

I stare at him, carefully interpreting his words. Does he want me to stay? Or does he only want me to apologize and then leave? It surely must be the last option.

"I'm sorry…" I take a step back.

"Oh no, you won't!" He growls and roughly grabs my arm. The sheer force of his grip causes me to tumble over.

As much as I tried I couldn't keep in my emotions and tears start crawling trickling down my cheeks.

The moment the green haired man catches my watery expression, his anger swiftly turns into a look of terror.

"Oi! Don't start crying!"

Before I could reply, Zoro collapses with a huge bump on his head.

"Baka! You made her cry!" An agry Nami appears in my visual field. Her look softens when she turns her attention to me.

"Are you all right?"

"Why did you do that? Don't you hate me?"

My questions seems to startle her. "Why would I hate you?"

"For the things I said…"

"Not agreeing with your attitude back then, is not the same as hating you."

"Not liking me then…"

"I don't know you well enough to make a judgement. But Luffy likes you… He can be an idiot most of the times, but one thing is certain… he has a great insight into people's character. If he likes you, it means you're worth it."

"I don't think he still likes me…"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" The gentle smile stays on her face, showing a different side to her than I saw before.

Luffy's POV

The moment Sanji and I enter the Sunny, we are greeted by an unusual sight. Takar a is lying on the wooden floor, while Nami is talking to her. Zoro is sitting next to them with a scowl and a huge bump on his head.

"What's going on?" I interrupt the little scene.

"This idiot caused her to fall." Nami explains immediately.

"Oi! Stupid marimo! You shouldn't handle a woman like that!" Sanji starts fuming.

"You promised…" A sidewards glance shows me that the cook heard me as he stops in his tracks. His sigh informs me he is not going to interfere.

"I just tried to stop her from leaving again." The swordsman defends himself, while throwing a calculating look at our interaction.

His words make my stomach churn. She still blames me…

"Can't you stay even if you hate me?" I ask, surprised with how broken my voice sounds.

My remark seems to have caught her attention as she is now staring at me with teary eyes.

"I don't hate you."

Her reply leaves me confused.

"Why would you want to leave if you don't hate me?"

"How can I stay after hurting you? After disappearing without an explanation? How can you ever trust me as a nakama?"

"I have no reason to not trust you."

"What if I run away again?"

"Then I'll find you."

"I'm not even strong." She stubbornly wipes away her tears before turning her attention back to me.

"No need… I'm strong enough for the both of us."

"But… Everyone who tried to protect me… My brother, mum, dad,… they all died… I don't want that to happen to you."

"It won't!"

"You're too optimistic. Life isn't as simple as you make it sound."

"Then just make it simple."

"Damn it Luffy! Life is not a game!"

"It's not… It's an adventure. Shishishishi."

I study her face while she is lost in thought. The way she is chewing her bottom lip makes me unable to look away. She tries to push away her hair, only to have it fall back on the same place seconds later. But what captivates me the most are her eyes… those strange, beautiful purple eyes…

"What if I don't like adventure?" She asks in a hesitant tone, pulling me back from my daydream.

"You will! I will make sure of that."

"Can I really?"

"Really what?"

"Join?"

My body starts moving before my mind even registered the question. Soon I'm holding her in a tight embrace, mumbling silently so only she could hear it:

"You're nakama now! I'm not letting you go!"

 **Yay! Takara is officially a fanfic strawhat now! ^^ Sorry for making you wait. Was a bit too busy to write stories. :/ I'll try my best to update a bit sooner.**


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